Overheard: Week Three Wrap-Up

Chiefs close another week of practice before traveling to New Orleans

The Kansas City Chiefs were back to the grindstone this week at the University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex. Week three of practice was focused on communication, reducing mistakes, and head coach Romeo Crennel’s favorite saying, “Eliminate bad football.”

During a press conference Friday morning Crennel discussed the significance of the Chiefs gaining their first win.

“It’s important to try to win a game. That’s the important thing, and that’s what we’ve been focusing on, trying to eliminate the mistakes we’ve been making so we can give ourselves a chance to win the game.”

After practice, Chiefs coaches and players spoke to the media.

DB Coach Emmitt Thomas on how the defense is going to stop the Saints:

“Pass rush, show different look and be aggressive on the receivers and try to throw the timing off on the receivers. They’ve got a fine quarterback, they’ve got a great group of receivers, they’ve been together now for four or five years. We need a good pass rush and the corners and safeties to play aggressive.”

“We have to communicate across the board. If we don’t even tell the d-linemen what’s going on they might go the wrong way and there’s going to be a crease. So on defense you really do have to communicate.”

S Eric Berry was asked if he felt pressured or a sense of urgency for the upcoming game:

“It’s never any pressure because once you start getting pressure you start to panic. So right now we’re just focusing on getting better as a unit. It is a sense of urgency but we don’t like using the term pressure because when people start talking about pressure, that’s when people start pressing and start doing things out of character. We’re trying to make sure we stick with the plan, but just try to focus a little more and just do little extra things before and after practice to make sure we’re coming together as a unit and get some wins.”

“Yes, I’ve been participating in a little more team. Last week I just did individuals, just seeing how I felt. I took another step working into team, seeing how I feel. It’s getting [more] comfortable and comfortable. I’m not quite where I want to be yet but I’m getting there.”

OC Brian Daboll on taking on the Saints:

“We have to do our job, whatever that may be – whether it’s run it or throw it. Yards, getting yards with the football is great but we have to make sure that when we have the opportunity to capitalize and score those points that we have to do that.”

Thomas on the defense’s communication:

“We’re a defense that’s been together now for three or four years. The communication is very important to us. We lost Kendrick [Lewis], who is our real leader back there, but we just haven’t been playing well. We need to play better, change our looks up and be more competitive.”